Short answer: Cheapest service, agent included: Bizee ($0 + state fee). Basic includes a free first year of registered agent service. Year one costs only the state fee. Agent renews at $149/yr.
We ranked the options by what you pay in year one with a registered agent covered, because every LLC needs one from day one.
The ranking
1. Cheapest service, agent included
Bizee $0 + state fee
Basic includes a free first year of registered agent service. Year one costs only the state fee. Agent renews at $149/yr.
2. Cheapest over 3 years
Northwest Registered Agent $39 + state fee
Costs $39 more up front, but the $125/yr agent fee makes it the lowest 3-year total of the four ($289).
3. $0 filing, agent extra
ZenBusiness $0 + state fee
Starter is $0, but you'd add the $199/yr agent from day one unless you serve as your own.
4. $0 filing, agent extra
LegalZoom $0 + state fee
Basic is $0; the agent is $249/yr, so year one with an agent is the most expensive here.
What you'd pay, side by side
| Service | Package | Registered agent | Year one | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File it yourself | State only | You serve | $0 | $0 |
| Northwest Registered Agent | LLC package ($39) | Included year one | $39 | $289 |
| Bizee | Basic ($0) | Free year one | $0 | $298 |
| ZenBusiness | Starter ($0) | Add-on, $199/yr from day one | $199 | $597 |
| LegalZoom | Basic ($0) | Add-on, $249/yr from day one | $249 | $747 |
Add your state's filing fee to every row. It's the same no matter who files, and runs from $35 in Montana to $520 in Massachusetts. Find your state's fee.
How we ranked them
- Long-run cost. The registered agent renews every year, so we count three years of it, not just the sticker price.
- What the cheapest package covers. A $0 plan that leaves out the agent isn't really $0 for most owners.
- Privacy. Whose address ends up on the public record.
- Published terms only. No paid placements. Affiliate links never change the order.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest way to form an LLC?
Filing directly with your state and acting as your own registered agent. You pay only the state fee, from $35 in Montana to $520 in Massachusetts on our site.
Which LLC service is cheapest?
Bizee Basic is the cheapest in year one: $0 plus the state fee, with a free year of agent service. Over three years Northwest is slightly cheaper ($289 vs $298 in service fees).
What is the cheapest state to form an LLC in?
Montana, with a $35 filing fee. But you generally should form in the state where you actually do business, or you will pay a second state's foreign registration fees.
Are there hidden costs with $0 LLC services?
The common ones are the registered agent renewal, paid add-ons at checkout such as expedited filing, and your state annual report fee, which you owe no matter who formed the LLC.
Sources
- Northwest Registered Agent: LLC pricing
- Northwest Registered Agent: registered agent pricing
- Bizee: LLC packages
- Bizee: registered agent pricing
- ZenBusiness: LLC packages
- LegalZoom: LLC packages
- LegalZoom: registered agent pricing
Provider prices change often, so confirm at checkout. State fees come from our state-by-state cost table.